New Year around the world
New Year is a day that many of us like to celebrate and enjoy. The celebration takes place in many countries, and in various cultures. The various traditions are carried out with the same enthusiasm in different parts of the world.
United Kingdom
Habits for the New Year are full of hospitality and warmth. They hold the belief that the first guest to cross the threshold of the event where the celebration is being held will bring good fortune. It must be someone bearing traditional gifts such as bread, drink, coal or another gift. Another custom that is becoming very popular is to exchange gifts.
Denmark
It is a tradition to break plates at the door, and so old dishes are thrown out of the doors of friends and loved ones' houses to bring good fortune. This symbolises friendship and brotherhood and the more broken dishes you accumulate, the more friendships and fortune you will have.
China
The Chinese have a unique way to celebrate the New Year: Every front door is painted red, which symbolises happiness and good fortune. On the streets, people celebrate with dragons, parades and fireworks with the intention of driving away evil spirits. It is also traditional to hide knives, as a new cut during chinese New Year is said to bring bad fortune for the coming New Year.
Brazil
It is believed that lentils signify wealth and prosperity in Brazil. Therefore foods which contain them, such as rice and lentil soup, is served. It is also customary to go to the beach to enjoy fireworks and some enter the sea to jump the waves because according to tradition this will bring them wealth in the coming year.
Austria
For the New Year, pork is eaten as a main meal along with mint ice cream desserts as they are associated with good fortune.
Egypt
The Egyptians believe that the New Year begins only when the crescent moon is visible in the sky. When the moon rises, the religious leader proclaims the New Year and people go to their homes to celebrate together with their loved ones.
Greece
They call this day St. Basil's day, as it is also the anniversary of his death and is celebrated as such. To celebrate, they bake a special bread where a coin is buried in the dough and it is served in a special way: The first cut is offered to God, the second is for the support of the house and is intended for the fortune of the house. If this serving contains the coin, it means spring will come early that year.
Spain
It is a common custom to consume 12 grapes at the sound of the bells that herald the New Year. According to tradition, it ensures that those who achieved the feat will have good fortune throughout the year.
Mexico
You can find different traditions in Mexico, but one of the most peculiar is sweeping the house at night to clean out bad vibes. Other people who want to travel during the year take a suitcase and walk through the house with it. Finally, one of the most unique customs is the use of red underwear to attract love during this year.
Cultures and traditions vary in different parts of the world, but most of these are celebrated to attract and envoke happiness, prosperity and good luck for the New Year.
The important thing is to have fun in the company of your friends and loved ones, to celebrate the arrival of a new year full of promises with a positive attitude.
There are many rare tradition, there should be a book explaining all of them to see what would be awesome to see and maybe one day just take a couple of things and visit the world, and of course enjoy a different type of New Year because almost all people are used to spend it with the whole family.
i would love to see the rest of the world and the variety of their celebrations, that would be very awesome, just imagine you and your family traveling around the world all the first days of the year and getting to know all the traditions, that would be like the best way of celebrating this important event
There is a tradition in Ecuador that is pretty nice and you should watch it, they make a big doll full of paper and they put it a mask, about any character that had been important in the year and they want to forget and burn, then on 00″00 they burn this doll and they jump over the fire, daring the destiny and the new year, that is pretty nice too see
I am very excited for this year’s new year. Every year I make a resolution, and this past year, I have done a fairly good job sticking to it. We are almost in October, definitely more done with the year than what’s left. I resolved to wake up everyday, and appreciate the life within me, and the day ahead of me. To be conscious and aware of life, whenever possible
I think it would be really interesting to make a film about this, showing different traditional New Year celebrations around the world and interviewing people from each country to find the origin and meaning or significance of specific rituals and ceremonies. A nice article showing various ways in which the human race celebrates renewal and happiness for the coming New Year.